About

Our business model

Our first important asset is a chemotherapy drug called Bisantrene, which was the subject of more than 40 phase II clinical studies before it was lost in a series of pharmaceutical mergers during the 1990s.

Race Oncology has now rediscovered Bisantrene. We own recent patent filings; have secured Orphan Drug Designation in the US and have successfully manufactured the drug.

Now our goal is to complete the final development of Bisantrene and bring this valuable cancer drug to market.

What is Bisantrene?

Bisantrene is a cancer chemotherapy drug that has shown excellent activity in several cancers, notably Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML).

Bisantrene is a small molecule cancer drug related to the 'anthracyclines', the most widely used class of cancer chemotherapy drugs.
However, unlike the anthracyclines, Bisantrene has a greatly reduced risk of cardiotoxicity (heart damage).

This means Bisantrene may be used with patients who have reached their cardiotoxic limit with anthracyclines, or cannot tolerate anthracyclines due to existing heart conditions, age or other factors.

Bisantrene was tested in more than 40 phase II clinical trials during the 1980s and 1990s, before it was lost in a series of pharmaceutical mergers. Before it was lost, Bisantrene demonstrated impressive activity in treating AML, so much so that it was approved for the treatment of AML in France in 1988.

What is Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML)

AML (Leukaemia) is a deadly blood cancer that starts in bone marrow. Despite all the improvements in treatment for many cancers, the treatment of AML has not changed appreciably in the last three decades.

Chemotherapy is the standard treatment, followed by a bone marrow transplant in qualifying patients. However, around 80% of patients are not cured by this approach and have a very poor prognosis once they relapse after standard therapy.

Today, relapsed/refractory AML remains a disease with a high unmet medical need. We believe that Bisantrene has an important role to play in treating AML, especially once standard treatment fails.

History

2016

Race Oncology lists on the ASX (RAC) with the mission to rescue Bisantrene and return it to the clinic.

Bisantrene was approved for marketing in France for the treatment of AML. Lederle was acquired by Wyeth, which was then acquired by Pfizer. In the process, the French registration was withdrawn.

1980s

Tested in more than 40 published phase II clinical trials to assess its efficacy and safety in a wide range of cancers. The studies covered more than 2,000 treated patients and revealed that Bisantrene was shown to possess low cardiotoxicity potential and useful therapeutic efficacy in several cancers, notably AML.

1970s

Bisantrene discovered in the United States by US Pharmaceutical company Lederle (a division of American Cyanamid).

Race Oncology is a specialty pharmaceutical company whose business model is to pursue later stage drug assets, principally in the cancer field. Our first important asset is a chemotherapy drug called Bisantrene.